Electrophoresis devices have conventionally been used for analyzing a trace of protein, nucleic acid, or other material. Typical electrophoresis devices include a microchip electrophoresis device and a capillary electrophoresis device.
A microchip electrophoresis device uses a microchip having a fine flow channel in a substrate, and a well or a reservoir is formed at each end of the flow channel. Typically, the microchip is placed horizontally, and is regulated to maintain a constant temperature. The well or reservoir at each end of the flow channel is accessed by an autosampler a polymer (separation medium) feeding mechanism, an inlet nozzle, an electrode, and the like thereby to feed the separation medium, and introduce a sample, into the capillary, to feed buffer solution to the reservoir, and to perform electrophoretic analysis (see, e.g., Patent Document 1).
A capillary electrophoresis device uses a capillary as the migration channel. Typically, the capillary is placed horizontally, and a member having a reservoir is secured at each end of the capillary. Through that member, the separation medium is fed into the capillary, a sample is introduced, and electrophoretic analysis is performed.